Can't Stop Growing Old
by awayfromsunshine
Summary: It's Eren Jaeger's senior year of high school and his goal is to make this year memorable. When he's walking home from a party, he sees a fight in an alley and tries to help a guy that looks like a kid from the shadows. He gets a rude awakening when the boy is actually a 23 year-old man with a sour temper and a foul mouth. Is this just a passing event, or something more?
1. For All Of Our Youth

**Author's Note**

Hey there! This is the first fanfic I've ever written so feedback and comments about plot, writing style and OOC-ness are immensely appreciated! I'll be posting the songs that each chapter is written to because they have a heavy influence when I write. I don't have a solid idea of how long this story will be or the exact progression of events, but I'm super excited about what I do have lined up and I hope you enjoy!

Songs for this chapter:  
Loud Like Love by Placebo  
This Picture by Placebo  
Ashtray Heart by Placebo  
The Middle by Jimmy Eat World

((Please excuse the formatting, I'm figuring out the best way to post. Also, no beta, so feel free to point out wonky grammar/spelling))

(Story title, "Can't Stop Growing Old," is a line from the song, "This Picture," by Placebo on their album Sleeping With Ghosts. Chapter Title, "For All Of Our Youth," comes from Placebo's song, "Loud Like Love").

I own absolutely nothing. All rights belong to their respective owners.

* * *

I will never understand why people get excited for the first day of school. Summer snailed by uneventfully, but I'd rather be spending the next few weeks laying on the couch and staring at the wall than stuck in the sweat-stale air of our high school having worksheets, textbooks, and scantron tests make up my daily life.

I'd only been walking down the sidewalk with Mikasa beside me for a few minutes and I could already feel a trickle of sweat down my back and dampness under my arms.

"Hey Eren, Mikasa!" Armin trotted down the brick pathway of his house to where Mikasa and I waited for him. His face was grinning and his cheeks were pink from an hour too long in the Minnesota sun. I tugged my backpack further up on my shoulder and gave him a quick hello as he fell into stride next to me while Mikasa waved to him and smiled.

"Man, I'm so excited for this year. I mean, we're finally seniors! Aren't you two excited?" He was beaming, the words running from his mouth at high speed as he tossed his arms in the air.

"Yeah, I'm excited." Obviously not so much as he was. "I just hope this year isn't boring. If it's my last year in high school, it better kick some ass, you know?" I cocked my head sideways as we neared the entrance of Sina high school. The building was three stories tall with pillared entrances and sat toward the edge of Minneapolis where there was just enough space to nestle in a football field that doubled as the running track.

"If you want this year to be exciting, then make it exciting. Don't wait for good things to fall into your lap and maybe the highlight of your year won't be getting in a fight with Kirschtein and getting suspended." She rolled her eyes, but she knew that it was a big deal. I mean, it took Reiner, Bertl, Armin, Mikasa, Marco, and Principal Pixis to separate us, plus, at least half their class was audience to the whole ordeal. I smirked at the memory of horseface being led to the nurse's office by Marco while all the blood from his head drained out his nose.

"Listen, he deserved it for calling you a, 'hot piece of ass.'" I cringed at the phrase. "Besides, we're cool now. Unless he does something like that again, I think I have a good chance at making it through this year in good standing with Pixis."

Both of them just shook their heads at me and we wove our way through the throngs of students at the front of the building that were meeting up with friends and shouting like they hadn't seen each other in years. We finally made it to the door and once inside I was hit with the smell of too many bodies in a single place with a lack of air conditioning.

"Eren, what class do you have first?" Armin pulled a neatly folded schedule out of his pocket to check his room number. I reached into my back pocket and dug out the wrinkled paper I had crumpled up and tossed to the corner of my room when I got it in the mail. I hadn't even looked at it.

"Uhh.." I scanned the table for first period and felt my gut clench. "Damn it… math with Bossard." I groaned and rolled my neck in prep of the headache I knew I would develop before the end of my first class.

"Oh, I'm sorry man." Bossard loved to give me shit about my work and grades, so I always laughed at him when he bit his tongue mid-insult. The bastard deserved it.

"I'm gonna head to Mr. Gin's. I'll meet up with you later!" Armin waved and trotted off happily toward the science wing of the school. Mikasa yelled something about meeting in the garden during lunch then turned to me.

"Don't let Bossard get under your skin. You know he only wants to get a rise out of you." I nodded at her, knowing that she was right but resenting anyway.

"Where are you going now?" The shrill ring of the warning bell erupted in the halls and students slowly started to dismiss themselves to class.

"I have English with Ms. Ral. From what I hear, she's pleasant enough." I remember seeing her as a student teacher last year, always smiling and polite.

"Yeah, I hear she's pretty nice. You better head to class and make a good impression." I teased and her eyes narrowed as she playfully punched my shoulder.

"Try not to get in trouble." Her voice was barely a sigh.

"You don't give me nearly enough credit, Mikasa." I smiled and headed to the second floor.

* * *

I was walking from my last class when I felt a harsh slap on my back then an arm around my shoulder, tugging me inward.

"Eren! Man, it's been too long. How are you doing? Starting the year off well?" Reiner Braun was the quarterback of the varsity football team and had brought Sina High to state since his sophomore year. Despite his talent and popularity, he was friendly and kept a large group of friends, Bertholdt being his closest. After a second glance, I could see Bertl on the other side of Reiner, giving a small smile and wave.

"Hey, I'm going pretty good. And yeah, I think this is gonna be a good year." I offered him a smile. He still had a firm grip on me and pushed our way through the hall and down the steps to the first floor.

"Good to hear man!" He had a genuine smile on his face. "Listen, I'm having a party this Friday. Parents are out, it might get a little crazy, but you should come! Invite Mikasa and Armin, too!" He steered us out the front door on stopped on the green of the front lawn way from the crowd.

"Sounds really good. I'll tell them!" I'd always turned down his invites to parties, but figured that it wouldn't hurt to go.

"Hell yeah, that's the spirit!" His smile widened as he grabbed me in a headlock and gave me a noogie.

"Damn it man, you're never gonna stop that, are you?" I broke away and tried to smooth my hair with a scowl on my face.

"Nah. Started it in what, 3rd grade? I'm on a roll!" He chuckled and took a step back to look over at Bertl.

"We're gonna get going. I'll see you tomorrow!" He grabbed the sleeve of his friend's shirt and gave him a smile before they headed toward the football field.

I turned and stepped across the patchy lawn to an old tree with thick, low branches and dense leaves that gave plenty of shade. I crouched, setting my backpack on the cool grass and stretching out on my back with my head propped on the textbook filled bag. I took a deep breath of the humid air, smelling freshly cut grass and noticing how much quieter it was away from the entrance of the school. If I was going to wait for Armin and Mikasa, I was going to be comfortable. My mind wandered to nothing in particular but feeling content and relaxed when I felt a prodding foot at my side. I groaned and opened one eye to see who had the nerve to disturb me only to see a horse staring at me.

"Hey Jaeger, it's been a while." He had a cocky smile on his face and I couldn't help but scoff.

"Kirschtein, we have three classes together and you literally stared at me for at least half of one. Nice try being hot shit, though." As much as I didn't want to have a problem with him, he made it so easy to. He sputtered and struggled to think of a snarky retort but finally gave up his tough guy act with a little huff.

"Listen Eren, I know we've had some beef between us, but let's call it a truce. It's senior year, you know?" I couldn't help but feel like this wasn't half as sincere as he was making it sound.

"Man, we've known each other since 5th grade and we've had the same friends for that entire time. We can fight and cause tension for everyone or we can get along and make this year memorable."

I begrudgingly accepted the hand up he offered because maybe he did believe that, but Marco had probably just suggested he cool his fucking jets. He earned the nickname Freckled Jesus after convincing Ymir not to break someone's fingers after they'd slapped Christa's ass. Then again, when the guy got off the hook and tried to run I saw Marco trip him and apologize profusely, then turn to me and smile sweeter than candy.

Jean never let me forget that he was two inches taller than I was but when I was standing at full height and glanced up it was probably more like one inch. Maybe.

He looked at me with an almost sheepish smile on his face like he was embarrassed about being so nice to me.

"So… are you going to Reiner's on Friday?" I tried civil conversation. He cocked his head to the side a little bit.

"Yeah… are you going this year?" He put one hand on his hip and the other adjusted the backpack on his shoulder.

"Yeah. I'm going to see if Mikasa and Armin want to come with." His face softened and he blushed just the tiniest bit at the mention of my sister. I think he was over his crush on her for the most part, that his blush was out of embarrassment rather than bashfulness. I would be embarrassed too if I went to the lengths he did to get noticed by her.

"That'd be cool. How about I smoke you up that night? Ya know, chill a little before it gets wild?"

I'd never smoked before in my life, but I'd be damned if I was going to give horseface the satisfaction of treating me like a noob because of it. I wasn't against it really; the opportunity just never came up.

"Sure, that sounds good." I stuck out my hand to give him a fist bump that he happily returned with a smile.

Over his shoulder, I could see Marco walking beside Armin and Mikasa through the horde of babbling peers. I met eyes with Freckled Jesus who waved happily and jogged over to where we stood, followed by the other two.

"Eren! I'm sorry I didn't get to talk to you much earlier in class, but it's so nice to see you!" He looked between Jean and I, grinning even wider.

"It's nice to see you two together." He continued. I awkwardly shuffled my feet while Mikasa and Armin shared a look and I had to bite my tongue to keep back my snarky commenting about being friends with a short-tempered dick who peed his pants on a fieldtrip in first grade. _Be quiet and polite._

"Yeah, well, we called a truce." I don't know why I said it, Marco already knew and I could feel the triumph radiating from him even being a few feet away. Armin cocked an eyebrow in disbelief.

"That's great to hear. Sorry to leave so soon, but I've got to be heading home." He was too mannerly to be friends with Jean. How the two got so close, I had no idea.

"It's cool, I'm heading out too. I'll see you guys tomorrow." My couch, Call of Duty, and a bag of Doritos sounded like heaven right about now. I gave a half wave and looked to Mikasa and Armin.

"You guys ready to leave?" They nodded, said their goodbyes, and walked beside me away from the school.

"So, you and Jean are friends?" Mikasa questioned while pulling at the frayed end of her cutoff shorts.

"Yeah, he said that he wanted it to be a good year for all of our friends and that it would be easier if we got along." The afternoon sun was even hotter than earlier and I swiped at the sweat that beaded on my forehead.

"Well, I think it's a good thing," Armin chimed in, "I think if you both could get past the fighting you would be good friends." My face scrunched up.

"That might be going a little far," I grumbled.

"Shit, I almost forgot, Reiner's having a party on Friday and he really wants you both to come. I already told him I would, so…"

I could hear the surprise in Mikasa's voice

"You really want to go?"

"You don't have to act so amazed." I shot back.

"Calm down, Eren. I'm just a little shocked, is all. I'll go with you." She gathered her hair at the back of her head and secured it with a ponytail.

"I'll go, too!" Armin beamed as we neared his place. He lived closer to the school in a quaint yellow Victorian-age house that was occupied by only him and his grandfather: a gentle, frail man that spent most of his days in the garden surrounding their home. We reached his street and called, "I'll see you two tomorrow," before walking through the white picket fence toward said grandfather to give him a little kiss on the top of his head while he kneeled before a rosebush. The older man turned and gave him a smile before brushing the dirt off his pants and taking a slow stand, probably to grab them both a welcomed drink to cool off from the heat before returning to his pruning.

Mikasa and I walked the five winding blocks to our house while I complained about Bossard and she mentioned how much she enjoyed her classes. She was easily one of the top students in our class; the kind that aced even advanced classes like they were nothing.

We'd finally reached our place and unlatched the iron gate to walk on the cobblestone pathway that led to the front door. Our house was a Victorian-era pine green and white house tucked away behind an unkempt willow tree and untamed shrubbery. The air inside was a long-awaited coolness against my too-warm skin, and I sighed heavily and collapsed on the couch in the living room that let too much sunshine in, my backpack thumping to the floor.

"I can't wait for it to cool off outside. I'm gonna die if it gets any hotter." I mumbled into the musky leather. Mikasa must've come into he living room, because her footsteps creaked across the hardwood until she was in front of me. She nudged me with her foot as if to move me over and I grumbled but sat up. She held out a glass of what looked like an Arnold Palmer, her own in her other hand.

"Thanks, Mikasa." I grabbed the chilled glass and took a long sip. She knew it was my favorite and kept a pitcher of it in the fridge at all times, just like mom did.

I felt a tug of sadness in my chest. Mikasa had been put into a children's home while she was only a few years old after her birth parents couldn't care for her anymore. My parents adopted her when she was five years old, the same age I was at the time.

Mikasa only knew my mother for two years before she passed away from breast cancer, and her world fell apart. Losing the mother she had grown to love crushed her and she spent countless nights curled up in my bed while she cried silently beside me, swallowing her sobs while I rubbed her back and whispered through my own tears, "everything will be okay. I promise."

We slowly accepted her passing, but at least once a week I caught Mikasa lost in thought while looking at the picture of our mother on the mantle. It was the first picture my dad had ever taken of her, smiling softly with daisies braided in her hair. He always said she was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen, that he couldn't have dreamed of marrying anyone as wonderful as she was, that he was the luckiest man in the world to have her, Mikasa and I as his family.

He was a pediatrician before her passing but changed his profession to work with experimental cancer treatments, so he spent most of his time in university medical labs working with graduate students and top doctors in the state to find a cure. We saw him during the week, but not nearly as much as we did before. Mikasa and I made dinner most nights and kept the place pretty clean, and every Sunday we made dinner with dad and ate together. While we might not be the typical family anymore, we made due with the cards we had drawn.

"Eren… Eren," She repeated my name, louder than the first and I snapped out of my haze.

"Are you okay? You were zoning out."

"Yeah, sorry. I just got distracted for a moment." I gave her a soft smile. She softened next to me and curled her legs underneath her.

"Do you want to play some video games? I could really use some food and a violent game." She agreed with a, "sure," and I padded to the kitchen to search through the pantry, returning with snacks and grabbing two Xbox controllers. I set the food between us and handed her a controller, knowing that she would kick my ass like she did every time.


	2. Second Sight

**Author's Note**

Hey there! I'm sorry that this chapter took forever. The past two weeks have been unbelievably hectic with family shit, carbon monoxide scares, puppy health problems, moving from my apartment, and being a sick lazy turd. As I type this I have a mouth full of gauze from getting my wisdom teeth removed .

Feedback and constructive criticism is appreciated beyond belief. This is the first fanfic I've ever written and this is also un-beta'd. My biggest concern is that characters will appear OOC, so please don't hesitate to tell me if you notice anything!

I like to think that Eren has a sort of I-don't-give-a-fuck-what-other-people-think attitude but he's secretly gets nervous and insecure when put in new situations (which is my explanation for the first scene) :3

**WARNING: There is recreational marijuana use in this chapter, as well as underage drinking and a scene of violence. Please be aware of this if any of those topics are upsetting, triggering, ect.**

PLEASE ENJOY, LOVELIES! 3

Songs for this chapter:

Second Sight by Placebo  
Pursuit of Happiness by Kid Cudi  
Soundtrack 2 My Life by Kid Cudi  
Ashtray Heart by Placebo  
Marijuana by Kid Cudi  
Intro by The xx

(Chapter title, "Second Sight," is a song off of Placebo's album Sleeping With Ghosts)

I own absolutely nothing. All rights belong to their respective owners.

* * *

"You know, Eren. I really think you're overthinking this a bit." Armin was straddling my desk chair backwards, his legs to each side while he rested his head on the edge of it with an amused expression. He licked at his popsicle just as a syrupy dribble threatened to fall to the hardwood. I ignored him and rummaged through my closet for the third or fourth time standing only in my boxer briefs.

"I just… what do people wear to parties?" My foot tapped on the floor in a steady rhythm. I had no idea why this was even an issue. Whatever I decided to wear would be something I'd already worn tons of times before. This was getting ridiculous.

"People wear everyday clothes, Eren. Just wear your jeans and a shirt or something." I turned to him and looked at him head to toe. He had on a striped tank that alternated between dark and light blue with beige shorts that stopped just above his kneecaps. Half of his blonde hair was pulled back in a bun, leaving the rest tickling his collarbones or being brushed out of his eyes. The air outside had changed from sweltering to a warm and breezy calm, but the nights were just cool enough to be more comfortable with a light jacket. I eyed Armin's grey sweatshirt carelessly tossed across my desk and looked back at the scavenged closet. I grabbed favorite dark green v-neck and a pair of white jeans.

I tugged on the clothing, added a tanned leather belt and shoved some socks in my back pocket before turning to Armin.

"This look okay?" I gave him an awkward half turn and watched him hold back a laugh.

"Armin, come on-" I started to whine.

"You are so lame, Eren." I snapped my head around and met eyes with Mikasa as she casually leaned against the doorframe. She'd decided to wear a cream colored shirt that had a cutout back and some black skinny jeans. I gave Armin an incredulous look.

"See? She's dressed up!" I pointed a finger at her.

"Jeez Eren, you look fine." She crossed her arms across her chest, probably in annoyance. I really didn't know why I was nervous. It was my first big high school party, but I would know practically everyone there. I took in a deep breath and sighed.

"Yeah, you're right. We should probably head out anyway." The clock on my desk read 8:57 PM in bright blue. The party started in 3 minutes.

We clambered down the steps to the first floor where Mikasa and I paused to put on our socks and leather boots while Armin just slipped on his suede sandals.

"Here." Mikasa pulled a set of keys from her back pocket and tossed them to me.

"Oh, hell yeah!" We shared an 02' Impala that didn't get much use in the warmer months due to it's lack of air conditioning and the fact that the interior got hot enough in the summer sun to melt flesh. It would be perfect tonight, and I smiled at the thought of driving with all the windows down, music loud enough to shake the rearview mirror.

I grabbed my wallet off the counter and led our way out the door, locking it tightly behind us, and jogged over to the detached garage where the Impala was tucked away.

* * *

"Well shit." I managed to find a place to park on Reiner's street and as we neared the house I could feel my chest rattle with the bass of the music that leaked from the windows. We followed a stone path up to a heavy white door that was yanked open just as Armin's knuckles hit the wood.

"Hey guys! Mikasa!" Reiner was way too enthusiastic and his cheeks already had a light flush to them.

"Come on in! The party's just getting started!" We followed him inside and I could already feel a nagging pull to leave. The house wasn't even packed, but the atmosphere was smothering and turned my sternum into a tourniquet. I looked around for the one person that enraged me so much that, had I been asked a year ago, I would have suckerpunched my own nuts if it meant I could avoid him.

"Reiner, do you know where Jean is?" His eyebrows shot to his hairline in a second of surprise before he grinned.

"Man, Marco told me how you two made up." He clapped a hand around my shoulder and ushered me upstairs, away from Armin and Mikasa who shrugged and wandered off.

"Now, don't go throwing any punches, yeah? I made Jean swear to me, too." I nodded and padded along the hall to a single room at the end where I could faintly hear the mumbles of a conversation.

A hand on my shoulder nudged me inside and I noticed Jean and Marco sitting cross-legged together on the carpeted floor of what looked like Reiner's room. The door was pushed closed behind me and Reiner and I plopped down across from the others.

"Hey guys, just in time!" Jean smiled as he licked the edge of some rolling paper, sealing the joint closed. Marco grabbed his ipod, scrolling past songs before he finally picked one, hooking it to some speakers and turning it up just loud enough so we could still hear each other.

"Reiner, you get greens since it's your party." That sounded surprisingly considerate of him, even though I didn't exactly know what that meant. Reiner thanked him and took the doobie and a black lighter from Jean, a sideways smile on his face in anticipation.

He pinched the joint and curled his lips around it, torching the end and puffing to get it going well. A hazy trail drifted in the air as he passed it to Jean, who happily took a deep drag while Reiner let out a massive white cloud that bloomed out in the open before a cough rumbled in this chest. Marco took his hit with a sigh, head tilting back as he made smoke rings that hung sluggishly in the air.

When it was passed to me, I tried to control my shaking hands and do exactly as they had made look so easy, but when I inhaled the scorching smoke into my lungs I couldn't contain the cottonmouthed cough that sputtered from me. I passed to Reiner as my eyes watered.

"You okay, man?" He looked at me and I nodded quickly. I knew I looked like such a noob, they must've known I hadn't smoked before and just kept quiet. Marco waggled a red cup in my direction and I took a long chug of the piss-flat beer, feeling instant relief.

"Are you sure you've smoked before?" Jean laughed lightly.

"Yes!" God damn him_._ "It's just been a while."

"I'm screwing with you, Jaeger. This is just some really dank shit." His smile bordered on cocky and my eyebrows furrowed.

I watched as they passed around, ashing into an empty can that was cast aside on Reiner's nightstand whenever the ash threatened to fall.

This was the opening of a bad joke or a cringe worthy story. "So this one time, I was smoking a blunt with horseface, Sina's famous quarterback, and the second coming of Christ in a room that reeked of burnt herbs and skunk ass…"

A soft pat on my arm broke my train of thought, and I turned to look at the freckled boy who was still blowing smoke rings like a fish blowing bubbles. The music had changed to the drawling, sleepy bass of a Kid Cudi song and Jean's shoulders relaxed and he nodded along lazily. Reiner squinted at the screen of his phone, trying to figure out the unfamiliar phone number flashing brightly in white.

"I'm gonna answer this, keep going without me." His ankles popped as he stood to leave.

"Suit yourself man." Jean gave him a halfass wave as the door was closed, his eyes never opening.

"You're up." Marco shot me a half-grin and I took the blunt from him, my head feeling light. I took smaller puffs, breathing slowly and managing to find comfort in the soft scorch of my lungs. I watched Marco through the lazy haze of smoke that poured from my mouth, ears perking at his quiet tenor as he sang with his eyes closed.

_"If I fall, if I die, know I lived it to the fullest. If I fall, if I die, know I lived and missed some bullets."_

His face was an expression that I could only describe as bliss, glancing at Jean's hands as they pressed into the carpet to support his reclining torso. The entirety of the dirty-blonde's tough exterior was long gone after his next hit and he pressed into the little figure-8's that Marco traced over the back of his hand and wrist. When it was Marco's turn Jean returned the touches, trailing his fingertips along the winding veins that must've been pulsing as heavily as mine were.

My head swam as my heart pounded in my throat. With shaking hands, I pinched the remainder of the blunt and I could feel my breath make goosebumps rise along my arms. I brought the last of the weed to my lips and flinched as the burning end sizzled out, singeing my bottom lip just enough to hurt without leaving a mark. The final hit sent my blood far too close to my skin and I could almost feel it throbbing through my body. My vision narrowed to a soft vignette as my fingers twitched, hyperaware, eyes flickering to the blushed faces across from me.

"Man, that was some good shit." Jean mumbled and ran a hand through his hair. He couldn't take his eyes off Marco, and I wonder if he knew how obvious it was to everyone else that they weren't just friends. I always figured that Marco was aware everyone knew and didn't mind, but kept up a façade and reassured Jean that it was their secret (because it wasn't being into guys that Jean wanted on the down low, it was the fact that he was a total fucking sap).

"We should get down to the party. I think if I had another drink, I would be at the perfect level." Marco was grinning and pushing himself to his feet. Jean and I followed suit, but I felt a headrush and crouched over halfway as dizziness settled behind my eyes.

"Get a little too high, Jaeger?" Jean cocked his head sideways, signature shit-eating grin on his face.

"I just got up too quickly." My brain sloshed around like a lava lamp long after I had stilled and I took to my feet but my legs were wavering underneath me. Once my feet were fully planted to the ground and my body wasn't tilting like scaffolding, I thanked Jean for supplying. He dismissed it, saying it was nothing. Of course he couldn't just say, "You're welcome."

Dick.

He was the first to leave the room and I turned to follow when I felt the weight of Marco's hands on my shoulders, mouth too warm on my ear.

"You did well for your first time." I whipped my head around.

"How did you-?"

"I just notice the little things." His smile could make a viking swoon.

I went straight to the kitchen which was a mess of solo cups, glass bottles, and various cans of soda that were probably used as chasers. From the window I could see the fire pit in the backyard sending ashes and flames overhead as guests huddled around the warmth. My hands shook against the bottle of tequila as I clumsily thumbed the lid but I froze when someone cleared their throat from the doorway.

"Ereeeeen." The name was drawn out lazily and Mikasa wandered up next to me and took the bottle. I opened my mouth to protest but she opened the booze with more dexterity, tossing the cap onto the sticky tabletop.

"Pick a chase." Her words were sleepier than anything else and she slumped lazily against the countertop. I rummaged around and picked a can of sprite to go along with the tequila, cracking the top and setting it down.

"Where's Armin? We've got to follow tradition."

"He's in the living room, I think." She flailed her hand in some random ass direction that certainly wasn't where the living room was and brushed her bangs out of her eyes. I quirked an eyebrow and walked through the doorway. Inside, the lights were low and Marco shook his ass to the beat of some song that kept repeating, "gas pedal," while a very flustered looking Jean squirmed in his seat, flask in hand. I caught sight of Mina, Thomas, Hannah and Franz lounging together on the stairs and reminded myself to go hang with them after I found Armin. I caught sight of a blonde on the couch alongside someone else and was just about to grab Armin when a hand seized my wrist.

"Oi, get your own cute blonde." Of course, it was Ymir, and that was definitely not Armin.

"Hey, sorry Krista. Have you seen Armin?" They got mixed up quite a bit despite the height difference and were probably used to the mix-ups by now. She smiled heartily and said hello before being cut off by the taller girl.

"I think Armin went to get the stick out of his ass. Lucky you." Her voice was slurred slightly and she pulled Krista into her chest. I glared at her but contained any retort that would possibly offend the girl she was cradling. I groaned and passed by Jean who was impossibly red as the song changed and Marco rolled his hips to the opening of, "Pour Some Sugar On Me."

I circled back through the kitchen and saw Armin standing with Mikasa, taking sips of a beer and talking idly. When she realized I was staring at them she looked over at the blonde, then slowly back to me.

"I found Armin." She pointed a thumb over at him and I facepalmed internally.

"Yes, you found Armin." I couldn't even remember why I was looking for him until she picked up the tequila again.

"Where were you? I just watched Sasha and Connie have a contest over who could drink three beers the fastest and the whole last one ended up coming out of her nose. It was horrifying." Armin cringed and shook his head in disbelief while swirling his own can of beer.

"I'll tell you later, but right now? It's time for shots." I took his beer and replaced it with the sprite and Mikasa waggled the tequila in front of him. He groaned a little bit because we knew he hated taking shots, but he always took at least one whenever we decided to drink. It was tradition: we would all take a shot together, but Armin had to have sprite as a chase. His face wrinkled up at the stomach-churning smell of the booze, but he took a deep breath and lifted the bottle.

"To senior year!" He took a shot with the least repulsed face he could muster while swallowing and reaching for the soda. He passed to Mikasa who repeated his words and actions with a sniffle of her nose in displeasure, then I took my turn. The liquor sent a jolt down my spine and set my hair on end before the chill turned to warmth. Reiner came busting in the room with his arm slung around a glassy-eyed Bertholdt.

"Time for round two!"

* * *

The chill of the night settled itself underneath my skin as I walked down the cracked pavement. My head was light on my shoulders, brain bouncing with the occasional stumbling of my feet. I had dropped Connie and Sasha off at his place, making sure neither of them would end up choking on their own vomit, and left the keys on the counter as 3:37 A.M. glowed in the darkness. After I crept out the door, I palmed my back pocket in search of my phone. Feeling nothing, I patted both of them and down my legs to the front pockets and cursed. Both my phone and my wallet were missing. I groaned and tugged at my hair.

Armin and Mikasa were probably back at our place by now and he was probably texting me to ask where I was because she was a sleepy drunk and would freak out if I wasn't there when she woke up. Connie's was about a fifteen minute walk from where I lived which wouldn't have been bad if I knew the area, but I'd only been through once or twice.

The lampposts flickered haphazardly around me, the light barely stretching more than a few feet from the source. I could feel paranoia tiptoeing up my spine and blamed the weed. Everyone had smoked again as we crowded around the fire late in the night, passing around a bottle of peach schnapps as we told embarrassing stories: like the time when Reiner knocked out one of his own front teeth in 8th grade after making a touchdown and chucking the football at the ground, sending it ricocheting straight into his face, or the time when Armin was feeding sandwich crust to the geese on the back lawn at school and ended up being hunted down by the birds instead and Krista was the only one him who helped him because the rest of us were crying from laughter and trying not to piss our pants.

I passed by a hole-in-the-wall diner, a sign illuminating the words _Sully's 24/7 diner _in bright red script_. _I walked past the barren restaurant but slowed when I heard a pained groan from somewhere in the street. I scanned the sidewalks but I was the only person out in plain sight. I looked back at the empty diner and headed to the alley behind it. The minimal light dwindled to practically nothing and I stumbled in the dark, catching my balance on the filthy bricks of an old café. I rounded the corner behind the building and noticed three different alleys running parallel to each other, the begging of a male voice growing more and more frantic.

My throat clenched shut and my heartbeat pulsed through my entire body, fear coursing in my veins as to what I would find if I kept searching. The choked scream that was ripped from someone blanked my mind and I ran mindlessly over the cracked ground, looking down each alley for the source. In the last one I could see what looked like two men fighting, although one must have been at least six feet tall while the other stood just a few inches over five feet. Adrenaline blinded me, and I couldn't stop my legs as they ran down the backstreet toward the fight. The closer I got, the more I could recognize that one voice was sputtering, "I didn't know man, please," and I couldn't stop the yell that came from my mouth.

"What the fuck are you doing? He's just a kid!" I tugged the arm of the smaller boy away and behind me and the bigger guy was too stunned to block my punch straight to his nose that broke with a sickening crunch. He cursed and his eyes lolled in the sockets as he struggled to stay on his feet. Blood poured from his nostrils, a noticeable crook in his nose that wasn't there just five seconds ago. Rage settled across his face and he grabbed me by the front of my shirt, a low growl rumbling from his throat. His face only inches from mine, I caught sight of a black and blue bruise blooming along his gaunt cheekbones. His pupils were blown so wide I couldn't even see his irises and he reeked of whiskey and garbage.

He pulled back a hand as far as he could and backhanded me so hard I felt my teeth rattle as blood filled my mouth. Every inch of fear that had nestled in my spine was obliterated as I spit a mouthful of crimson in his face. He roared, yanking me toward him only to slam my body back against the brick building with as much force as he could muster. He pulled back his fist, ready to pummel me six feet underground and I pinched my eyes shut in anticipation but only heard a soft metallic click.

"Don't you lay another filthy fucking hand on him. You know who I am, you know what I do, and I don't have a single problem with making sure you never forget." I pried my eyes open and watched as the boy pressed a switchblade to man's jugular, his voice low and toneless. He gritted his teeth and stared at me, probably pondering whether or not I was worth the risk. With one last shove he backed away, lanky frame tripping down the alley as he wiped at his face.

I let out a shaky breath that I didn't know I was holding in and felt stomach bile rise into my throat. I swallowed and turned to touch the boy's arm and ask if he was okay, but before I could I felt a punch knock me breathless. I doubled over in pain as I let out a surprised yelp and my head snapped up to look at him.

"What the hell was that for?" I screamed in disbelief. I tried to help the little shit and he punched me?

"First, I'm not a kid, you rancid twat. I'm certainly older than you. Second, you interrupted a business transaction like the shitty brat you are." He finally turned to face me. He in no way resembled a kid, not with his pointed features, strong jaw, and crotchety expression. The top of his head may have only been at my eye level, but he looked strong and defined beneath his black shirt. The nametag pinned on the left side of his chest had the name, "Levi," printed on it beneath the Sully's logo. I stuttered out an apology but he just made a noise of disapproval, looking so impartial that I couldn't ignore the discomfort it caused.

"I just… I couldn't walk by like nothing was going on. Not if someone was hurt." He didn't respond, but instead pulled out a pack of cigarettes and pinched one between his lips to light it. He tilted the pack my way and I shook my head.

"Well, that's awfully stupid of you considering you don't know who I am." He sucked in a lungful of smoke and tapped his leather boot against the concrete. Annoyance itched right in the center of my forehead.

"Yeah, well you don't know anything about me either but you helped me."

"Is that what a punch to the stomach is? Damn, I saved some sorry bastards then, that's for sure." There was no inflection in his voice as he took another drag, his head tilting back to let out a mouthful of smoke into the night sky above him.

"I think you know what I mean." I sneered. The last thing I wanted was a reprimanding for trying to be helpful. I really just wanted to get home.

He shrugged.

"Maybe so," he took a long drag, the cigarette reaching the filter in what must have been record time, "you got a name?"

"Eren."

"Well Eren, this was a blast but right now nothing sounds better than some coffee and a good shit so I'm gonna go have a fucking fiesta." He spun on his heel, flicked his cig away, and strode out of the alley and back toward Sully's. I was so off-put that it took me a minute to realize he was already gone. I ran out of the alley after him and caught up as he stood in the diner's back doorway.

"Hey, wait! You never told me your name." He looked back at me with a quirked eyebrow and pressed a hand to his hip.

"You read my nametag. I didn't feel I had to." He deadpanned and was just about to close the door behind himself when he turned his head over his shoulder.

"Levi." Then the door shut.


	3. Safe and Sound

**Author's**** Notes**

I can't thank you guys enough for the wonderful reviews! Every time I see a new one, it makes me so unbelievably happy. The fact that this is my first fanfic and you guys are liking it so much is just amazing, so thank you! I'm getting a much more solid idea of what this story will involve, and I've decided who Erwin will be! I don't know when he'll come in officially, but I think next chapter you'll get a little mention of his character ; ) Today marks a pretty big change in my life and I will suddenly have a lot more free time, so I'm thinking this story will be updated pretty regularly! WOOOOOO! Now, go ahead and enjoy the aftermath of the party and some Hanji!

Song for this chapter:**  
**- Safe and Sound by Capital Cities (This is also where the chapter title comes from)

All rights to their respective owners. I own absolutely nothing.

* * *

By the time I reached my house, I was practically dragging my feet along the cobblestone path. I tried by best to sneak through the door using the spare key that we kept tucked away in one of the outside wall lanterns that was perpetually burned out. I inched the door closed, locking it within the frame as quietly as I could, the house silent enough to hear a creak in the floor like a car crash. As I walked past the living room I noticed a shape on the couch curled up underneath a blanket that rose and fell softly with breathing. In Armin's hand was his cell phone, clutched like a lifeline even as his arm hung to the floor.

I kneeled beside him and ran my hand along his shoulder gently. He stirred under my hand, a muted groan coming from his mouth before his bleary eyes opened. When he saw my face he shot up.

"Eren, oh my god, where were you? And what happened to your face?" Within that second he was wide awake with one hand reaching to turn my cheek to look at the tender side.

"I got a little side-tracked. It's no big deal, don't worry." I turned my cheek away from his scrutinizing eyes and lifted my own hand to graze the soreness of my face.

"Excuse me? Do you know what time it is?" He was dumbfounded as he looked at his phone for conformation.

"It's 4:03 in the morning, Eren. I was worried. What happened and why didn't you answer your phone?" I flinched internally at both the time and his tone, wanting nothing more than to just go to sleep. I ran a hand through my tangled hair and huffed.

"I'm sorry for making you worry, Armin. I don't know where my phone or wallet is. I must've left them at Reiner's." I purposely didn't answer the former part of the question but despite his weariness he noticed.

"Okay. What happened to your face, though?" I sat on my heels with my hands on my knees, head lowered to the floorboards. I sighed and shook my head.

"I don't… I don't really know what happened. It was crazy." I closed my eyes in concentration, trying to recall the details of the adrenaline-induced fiasco.

I told him about walking past the diner, about hearing screams and how I thoughtlessly ran straight into a fistfight. It was only when I spoke of the tall man and how he slammed me against the building that I noticed the throbbing in the back of my head and soreness in my arms from where he clutched me. I tasted the blood of a re-opened wound in my mouth and cringed as I swallowed. I told him that the man I misidentified as a kid was a guy named Levi, leaving out the fact that he landed a punch to me (because I guess it was pretty justified).

Armin shook his head in disbelief.

"I don't want to say I told you so, but you really need to take me up on that advice to think a bit more before you act. You didn't have your phone, how would we have known if you were in trouble? Something way worse could have happened." His voice started out confident but quieted as he finished, his mind most likely filling with extravagant worst-case scenarios. I apologized again, feeling like shit for making him worry and knowing that if the roles were reversed I wouldn't be half as calm as he was. He settled with a heavy sigh.

"Let's get you cleaned up." He busied himself with disinfecting the cut on my bruised cheek that must've been caused by a ring the man was wearing. He closed the wound with a steri-strip and I grabbed the icepack he brought as we headed upstairs. He searched through his overnight bag for his pajama pants and I turned my back to him as I slipped on my own. We crawled beneath the blankets of my bed and I held the icepack to my cheek, flinching and hissing at the chill that shot from my cheek to my toes.

Armin drifted off to sleep quickly, his bangs tickling his nose with every breath while I closed my eyes and thought back to the night. I kept replaying the fight in my head, but every time I got stuck on Levi. His switchblade ready to draw blood, the blank expression on his face, when he bared his throat as he blew smoke into the air, and his crude shit jokes. I couldn't deny that I was interested in getting to know him more, but I thought about what he said to his attacker.

"_You know who I am, you know what I do, and I don't have a single problem with making sure you never forget."_

What the hell was that supposed to mean? He'd also said I interrupted a business transaction, but I couldn't imagine that to be true. Sure, he was intimidating, but who kicks the shit out of someone in an alley and calls it business? I drifted to an unsettled sleep pondering the stomach-turning idea that maybe he wasn't the one that was attacked.

* * *

I awoke with a groan as the too bright sun streamed through my windows. I turned over to face away from the window and felt the coolness of empty space where Armin had slept. My door was cracked open just the tiniest bit and I heard the clanging of pots and pans in the kitchen. I glanced at the clock on the nightstand. 12:57 AM. My eyelids felt sluggish and I wanted nothing more than to sleep off the pounding in my head, but I dragged myself from the bed. I practically crawled to the bathroom to brush the taste of blood, tequila, and stale weed from my mouth and trudged downstairs. In the kitchen, Mikasa stood idly over the stove, stirring something that smelled like chicken soup in a large pot. Armin watched from his place on the table until he noticed me in the doorway.

"Hey Eren, did you sleep well?" He was in an infinitely better mood than last night and I managed a half-smile.

"As well as I could, although I feel like I could sleep all day." I could feel Mikasa's eyes on me and I hesitated to look at her.

"Eren, what happened to your face?" She walked away from the stove to get a closer look at me and her expression softened for a second before it turned to anger.

"Who did this?" She crossed her arms in irritation and I took a seat in the chair next to Armin before repeating the same chain of events that I'd explained last night. Her face fell and she looked disappointed.

"I'm sorry for not being there. I should have protected you." I was a bit taken aback. Anger I would've been fine with, but she had no reason to feel guilty.

"Mikasa, it wasn't your fault." I shook my head and instantly filled with regret as pain flared behind my eyes. "You can't always be there to protect me. Plus, I handled it myself. The other guy was worse off than I was, so don't worry about it."

She rolled her eyes in annoyance. "That's not exactly what I was hoping to hear."

I huffed. "It won't happen again." Both of us knew that was absolute bullshit, but she decided to drop the subject. She returned to the stovetop and Armin decided to lighten the mood.

"So, Mikasa… I saw you talking with a blonde girl at the party. What's her name?" He rested his head on his hand sleepily. My face scrunched in confusion. I didn't remember seeing her with a blonde girl.

"Her name is Annie. She's one of Bertl and Reiner's friends, but she doesn't go to our school. She was pretty cool, though." She searched through the cabinets for three bowls and spread them out on the counter, separating the soup into each bowl. I helped her by carrying two of the steaming bowls of ramen to the table and set one down in front of Armin while Mikasa placed hers on the table and passed us forks.

"This is the best thing after a night of drinking. Marco told me about it last night." The ramen had a soft-boiled egg, small pieces of chicken and fresh green beans in it and tasted like heaven. We ate in relative silence and after we were done I rummaged through the kitchen cabinets for a bottle of ibuprofen, taking a few capsules and then offering them to Armin and Mikasa who graciously accepted.

We spent the afternoon nursing our hangovers, playing video games, and napping on the couches. Mikasa's phone vibrated every few minutes and my curiosity got the best of me.

"Who's texting you so much? Your phone is practically blowing up." She typed back a message and her phone blipped as it sent.

"Annie." Her face had the most miniscule trace of a smile on it.

"I'm glad you're getting to be friends with her. You two really seemed to hit it off last night." Armin chimed in from his place on the couch. She nodded her head and thanked him, then looked back at her phone. The realization hit that I still didn't have my phone or my wallet. I groaned and looked at Armin.

"Hey, can you ask Reiner if I can pick up my phone and wallet? I don't know where they are over there, but they've got to be somewhere." He replied with a quick, "sure," and messaged him. It took about ten minutes to get a reply, but Reiner said I could come whenever and that he would look for my stuff in the meantime.

I dragged myself from the couch to put on something that actually involved a shirt, knowing full well that I still looked like walking shit once I was dressed. That didn't stop me from grabbing the car keys from the counter and yelling, "I'll be back later!"

* * *

I drove to his house without paying any attention, zoning out constantly but managing to keep the car and myself in one piece. I parked and clambered up to the door, knocked, and waited a bit before Bertholdt opened the door and peeked his head out just far enough so I could see one eye.

"Hi Eren." He murmured with a gentle smile and welcomed me in. I was in no way surprised to see him here. They weren't exactly subtle. I was about to say hello when he gasped and a hand shot to his mouth.

"Eren, your face…" Just as he trailed off, Reiner came from the kitchen in his boxers and an undershirt looking far too built to be in high school. He took one look at me and clicked his tongue.

"Man, that better not be from Jean." My phone and wallet were engulfed in one of his hands and he crossed them across his chest. I let out a nervous laugh and rubbed the back of my neck.

"For once, it wasn't him. I just ran into a bit of trouble on my way home last night. No big deal." I dismissed their assumptions and changed the subject.

"Thanks for inviting me to the party," I chuckled lightly, "it was really great." A grin stretched across Reiner's face.

"Yeah, you must've had fun. I found your wallet in a flowerpot outside and your phone was in a bag of chips." He handed both to me and I could still feel dirt clinging in the seams of the leather.

"I… have no explanation." Bertholdt smiled at me and awkwardly clasped his hands in front of himself and rocked on his heels.

"No need for one. It happens." He leaned in closer. "I found a pair of boxers in the yard, and I'm not pointing any fingers, but Jean was definitely wearing the same ones last night." He shook his head in amusement and my face contorted as I thought of Jean's naked-ass body prancing around outside, butt cheeks blinding anyone who caught a glimpse of his paleness. He was absolutely shameless.

"I suddenly feel a lot better." Both of the boys snickered. "Well, thanks for finding my stuff. I better get going." I gave them a half-smile and they said their goodbyes as I headed to my car. I cursed the lack of air conditioning as I enclosed myself in the stuffy Impala. I turned the key in the ignition and rolled down the windows, music droning on through the radio.

I shifted gears and started driving with the intention of going home but instead I found myself pulling into the parking lot next to Sully's. I turned the car off and questioned what the hell I was doing. Levi really didn't seem like he was even remotely interested in conversation, especially with me, but I couldn't shrug off the questions I had about last night. Like, who the fuck was he and what kind of business was done in the back alley of some dumpy diner in the rougher part of town? My stomach twisted in knots, most likely because I had a pretty good guess at the answer to both.

I took a deep breath and approached the restaurant. The door screeched as I opened it and a small, "ding," signaled my entrance. A few booths lined the wall where the door was and straight ahead there was a bar with stools all along the length of the restaurant. The kitchen was situated behind the counter through a swinging door and at the left side of the restaurant there was a shady hallway where the bathrooms and back door must've been. A tall woman bounced over to where I stood and a smile that would put a jester to shame spread across her face.

"Hello and welcome to Sully's! Booth or the bar?" A pencil was tucked behind her ear and she wore a simple outfit of jeans, a black shirt, and a black apron with the red and teal Sully's logo. Her nametag had, "Hanji," stretched across it in some script that was obviously supposed to look retro.

"A booth is fine, thanks." She nodded and grabbed a menu along with silverware and ushered me to a booth. I slid into the seat that probably hadn't been reupholstered since the 50's, my pants making a squeegeeing noise against the red glittery vinyl.

"I'm Hanji and I'll be your server. Can I get you something to drink?" She nudged her glasses further up on the bridge of her nose and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.

"I'll have a coke, please."

"Coming right up!" She walked with a springy step to the area behind the counter and busied herself. A burly man perched on a stool at the bar mumbled under his breath as he scarfed down a greasy, dripping burger. Even from where I was, I could see dribbles of sauce and bits of bread scatter in the vicinity of his plate. He shifted in his seat and his pants slipped down just enough to show a repulsive, hairy buttcrack. I recoiled in repulsion and looked away, deciding to take a glance at the menu instead when it hit me that I didn't tell Mikasa that I was stopping somewhere.

I pulled out my phone and sent a text saying I stopped to grab dinner and asked if she wanted something. She replied with a, "no," and reminded me to call or text if I needed anything.

I had barely looked over the menu when Hanji settled a napkin on the table and placed my drink on it.

"Do you need another minute, or have you decided what you'll have?" She beamed and I wondered how she managed to stay so enthusiastic.

"Uhhhh… I'll just have the turkey club." I picked the first thing I saw, knowing that I would've eaten whatever. I wasn't too picky.

"Fries okay?" I nodded in reply.

"Sounds great! I'll fix that right up!" She trotted behind the counter and through the swinging kitchen door, leaving the front area of the diner empty. The tank of a man grunted as he clambered to his feet, tugging his sagging pants up and tossing a few bills onto the counter. He waddled out the door and I was left alone in the restaurant. I took small sips of my soda between rounds of Angry Birds, feeling a sense of defeat and stupidity about expecting Levi to be here. I tossed my phone on the table when I'd repeated the same level too many times to count and slumped down in the sticky seat.

I shot up when I head a loud bang and watched as the kitchen door was kicked open and a very disgruntled looking Levi stomped his way to the counter.

"Hanji, do you see this?" He yelled in awe as he pointed at the space where the walking buttcrack sat.

"This is a fucking counter, not a feeding trough!" He clicked his tongue in annoyance and snatched a rag and a plastic bin from behind the counter and was about to start cleaning when Hanji poked her head through the door.

"We have a guest, Levi, and I'd hate for you to scare off another valuable customer!" She waggled her finger and sang to him like this was a regular occurrence before slipping back into the kitchen. He cursed under his breath and pinched the bridge of his nose in irritation.

"I would like to apologize for my langu-" He spoke through clenched teeth but trailed off when he saw that I was the customer he was about to apologize to. His face was completely void of whatever he was thinking and I squirmed under his gaze. This was a mistake. Big mistake.

"Kid, if you wanted my number, all you had to do was ask." He sighed and collected the dishware in the bin before wiping down the counter. I coughed and stammered, my mind as blank as his face while I searched for a comeback.

"You know, that was mostly a joke, but by your reaction I'd say you wouldn't mind." He tossed the washcloth into the bin and grabbed some cleaning sprays to sanitize the surface. I could feel my cheeks on fire and reminded myself to never be friendly to assholes in back alleys again.

"I didn't know you'd be working." I tried to remain unfazed, but of course he pushed it.

"But you were hoping I was." I could feel the satisfaction dripping off him like the grease from Buttcrack's burger.

"Don't flatter yourself. I come here a lot." I prayed for that to be the end of conversation, but he couldn't give me that little bit of mercy.

"No you don't." All I wanted was to crawl beneath the gum-covered table and wallow in my own stupidity.

"Oh, and how do you know?" I snapped. He was being a complete dick and cherished every second of my embarrassment. He merely leaned against the counter nonchalantly.

"You wouldn't get so defensive about my pathetically clichéd comebacks if they didn't hit you right where you're soft." He looked at his nails, completely disinterested. "Or you could just call it a lucky guess." He picked up the bin of dishes from the counter and started walking toward the kitchen.

"Don't leave," he dismissed my thought before I could even contemplate it, "your order's on me since this is the most entertainment I'll be getting all night. Plus, it's my break and I'm bored." He backed through the kitchen doors and I was just about certain my soul had left my body in favor of floating away into nothingness. I deliberated whether or not to call Armin and ask if one could actually die from humiliation but Levi had already come through the swinging door with a tray perched on his forearm looking painfully awkward. He weaved around the counter and set my plate on the table, setting down a sandwich of his own along with a glass of water. He pushed the tray to the furthest side of the table and he plopped down in the seat across from me.

"So, brat, what brings you to this fine establishment?" He crossed his legs under the table and leaned back with a sense of superiority. He motioned to my food.

"Go ahead. I expect you can handle eating and talking without choking or speaking with your mouth full." He picked up his own sandwich and took a bite. My stomach churned and my heartbeat quickened. Now that he was in front of me, I didn't really want to talk. I felt like a guppy swimming with a shark in a fishbowl. My voice cracked when I finally spoke and he stared right through me.

"I want to know what happened last night." I picked up a fry and munched on the end mindlessly.

"I told you, business transaction." He waved off my concern like it was nothing.

"Okay, but what kind of business happens in a back alley?" He let out a loud huff that blew his bangs back from his face.

"The kind of business that a kid like you shouldn't be a part of. I'm trying to do you a favor, here. You were in the wrong place at the wrong time. Let's keep it at that." He played the impassive role and wasn't swayed in the slightest.

"You attacked him, didn't you?" Fuck. I just said that out loud. Big mistake.

"And if I did?" He wasn't baffled in the slightest and casually sipped at his water. His hand caught my eye. He held the cup by the rim with all of his fingers and my eyes trailed to his knuckles where little scabs and scrapes crosshatched the calloused skin. I looked at his face to a little white scar on his upper lip that looked long healed. I wanted to ask who did it, when it happened, and why.

"I guess… I want to know why." I bit my lip, trying to find the words. "You seemed angry when he hit me, so I don't think you're a bad guy. You did help me, you know. If you were bad, you wouldn't have done anything." He looked halfway entertained before his aloofness returned.

"I don't like pointless violence, especially when it has to do with innocent people." His answer was definitely not what I was expecting and I swallowed hard.

"So the man wasn't innocent and you didn't hurt him for no reason." I reasoned out loud.

"A+ kid. I'd give you a cookie if I wasn't such a cheap bastard, but I am already buying you dinner and that's more than most get out of me." He nibbled at his sandwich and I took a bite of my own.

"So you're not nearly as bothered by me as you seem? You are pretty talkative right now."

"Are you kidding me? I've never known when to shut my mouth." He scoffed. "You're like a dog that keeps coming back. Most people would've ignored an alley fight and if they did charge headfirst into it like an idiot, they would've been smart and ran after getting punched, especially by me. You, on the other hand, came waltzing into my workplace; tail between your legs, yes, but you still came back. I guess I'm curious how long you'll stick around." I didn't know whether to be offended or flattered that I managed to catch the attention of such an inapproachable old grouch. Cue word vomit.

"You said you were a lot older than me. How old are you, exactly?" I prayed that he wasn't as aged as he made himself seem. He really didn't look older than 20 or so.

"Rude." He clicked his tongue in reprimand. "I'm 23, not that it's some random brat's business. With your horrible manners and naivety I'd guess that you're 15, but the constipated look on your face ages you." I scowled at him and contemplated whether or not to rub our height difference in his little midget face but the reminder of his punch was enough to keep my mouth shut.

"Hah. I'm almost 18, and I don't look constipated. I just have a serious resting face." I sneered.

His tone mocked amusement, "If that's the reasoning it takes, kid. You've obviously been told that you constantly look like you're in need of a pinched loaf before."

"Do you ever get told you're kind of unpleasant?" I took a bite of my long-forgotten food and he mirrored my actions.

"You wouldn't even believe how much he gets told that! Generally in harsher words, but this is a nice change of pace!" Hanji skipped from the swinging kitchen door to our table ecstatically and I let out a sigh of relief at the break in tension. Levi didn't have a choice but to move over in the booth as the tall woman shoved her way next to him and wiggled to make room.

"Don't you have something you need to be doing, shitty glasses?" His eyes were narrowed in annoyance as he continued to munch.

"As a matter of fact, I don't! So Eren, tell me about yourself! You're in high school, right?" She rested her chin on her crossed hands in what looked like adoration.

"You know my name?" I cocked my head in curiosity and Levi's eyes dropped to the table.

"Of course I know your name! Levi told me about last n-HEY!" She was cut off by a harsh elbow to her ribs and a mumble of, "you can never keep your damn mouth shut."

She put her hands up in defense, "He only told me there was a little scuffle and that a kid named Eren got involved." She feigned innocence with a sweet smile. "Though he failed to mention just how cute you really are! I definitely approve." She flashed me two thumbs up before the tinkling of the bell signaled a customer had come in. Good thing, too, because Levi looked like he was about to kick her clear out of the booth without remorse. Instead, he kneaded his furrowed brows while she greeted an older woman with a kind smile and led her to a booth across the room.

The silence she left hung in the air and neither of us dared to fill it for an achingly long time. Finally, he looked up with his signature indifference settled on his face.

"So, is that all then?"

I didn't know how to respond. I didn't have any more answers than before, and I had more questions than I could put into words.

"I still want to know more." I couldn't bear to add on the, "about you," that lingered on the tip on my tongue. He wouldn't tell me anything, and I knew that, but I couldn't help but feel a stab to my chest when he answered in monotone.

"That's something you'll have to get used to, kid."


End file.
